Automatic Cleanup DOES NOT WORK

My suggestion would be to create a new task and set up your task something similar to what is shown in this illustration. Note the comments at the top of the diagram about how to save your task and avoid any edits. Use either the incremental or differential according to your choices. This type backup scheme works for me.  Adjust the numbers to fit your needs.

I too am amazed that after all this time and numerous updates (Im on the latest build - 6696) that the Automtic CleanUp still doesnt work. My settings are to keep the backup size to less than 200Gb and the software pays no attention to this setting at all.

Andrew,

If you edited your settings after you set up the task, it is possible that ATI is not tracking the files you expect it to delete.

It is still unclear to me what editing needs to take place for this to happen, but it is clear that it happens when users tweak their backup options.

Set up a new task with a new name in a new directory, and see if the cleanup works.

Also it is very important that you are on the "backup scheme" tab when you close the backup options window, or your auto-cleaning setting will be lost. In particular, the limit-by-size autocleanup option is the worst offender. These are bugs that should get fixed.

I'm having the same problem with the Automatic cleanup. I'm on build 6696 running on Win 7 Ultimate x64, I have created numerous full backup tasks all set to retain no more than 2 versions. All settings were set when the tasks were created but every week after completion I have to delete an older 3rd version so that the following week I have space to complete the backup schedules. I have attempted to recreate all the tasks a number of times but it still doesn't work. Before you point me at the posts above, I've tried them all. This should be a simple thing to get right so please can you tell me when a major feature of your software is likely to work?

Mike N,

When you redo your tasks are you pointing them back to an archive that is already existing or really starting from ground zero?

Mike N,
Would you consider posting a picture of your task similar to the post 1 illustration above.

Colin- I've tried it both ways. Also I created 2 completely new file backups to a new folder on a backup USB Hard drive about 6 weeks ago when I installed a NAS and they don't cleanup either.

I currently have 2 tasks carrying out a full partition image and 2 that carry out a full backup of folders on a NAS. These are scheduled weekly and set to retain no more than 2 previous versions as in the linked picture. All the tasks have the same settings and none of them delete older versions.

I have also attached a picture of the file location. K:\ is a USB external hard drive physically connected to the computer

Mike N,

Just to clarify, with your settings, ATI will create backup1, backup2, then backup3 and then delete backup1. So you need enough space for 3 full backups to eventually keep only 2. Sometimes, users expect ATI to first delete the backup1 before creating backup3.

To clarify. My settings create backup 1 then backup 2 then backup 3 but they don't delete backup 1. I have to delete it manually after the schedules have completed. This is the same for all the tasks that I have created and scheduled.

I am aware of how its supposed to work and I have plenty of space to hold 3 backups of all my schedules with about 80GB left free. Unfortunately this isn't enough to create a 4th full set hence I have set it to retain only 2 versions.

Mike,

I can only imagine that the database has been corrupted, after manual deletions.
You have a couple of options to fix this.

Let's try with the simplest one:
- close ATI,
- under c:\programdata\ACronis\TrueImageHome\Database, rename all the files in there to .OLD
- launch ATI
See if that fixed your problem.

If it didn't, let's do a reinstall:
- first, create a new folder on your backup disk and move the last backups you want to keep for safekeeping to that folder,
- hide the folder (no need to hide the TIB files inside it)
- in ATI, go to tools and export your backup settings,
- in ATI, delete all your backups. ATI will complain it couldn't delete all the files. Delete the backup again until the backup goes away or ATI crashes :-)
- one your backup list is clean, uninstall ATI,
- reboot,
- reinstall ATI
- import your backup settings
- verify your cleanup options are now working.

Remember not to rename the TIB files or delete them manually or the database will get confused again.

Pat,

Thanks for the response. I'm sceptical that this issue is a corrupted database caused by manually deleting .tib files. Firstly because it has never worked and I had to start manually deleting files because ATI was not automatically cleaning them. Secondly when I go into ATI it only sees the .tib files that physically exist, they all verify and I have recently successfully restored a complete image from one of the .tib files. This suggests that the database isn't corrupt. In addition I have recently created a set of entirely new schedules that also don't automatically clean.

I have in the past removed and reinstalled the software. It was a while ago and I didn't remove the backups first, however it didn't register the old files when I reinstalled and I created a new set of schedules that work in every respect but don't automatically clean.

As there is no evidence that the database is corrupt I will completely remove ATI from the PC and reinstall with the latest version. The backup schedules only take a couple of minutes each to create so rather than importing them I will start from scratch, that way I know everything is clean. It will take a couple of weeks to get an answer and I will let you know if it works.

Mike,

The database doesn't influence how the archives can be restored. It is just a way for ATi to track where each TIB file is, and how they form chains.
Fortunately, even if the database is corrupt, you can restore files in some cases. The database is enabling fancy options like doing a full backup on one disk, but continuing the differentials or incrementals on another disk. IMO, the database is creating more problems than it is solving.

What is certain is that deleting TIB files manually does corrupt the database. Deleting versions from within ATI updates the database, but can corrupt the backup chains anyway because of other bugs. So, I always stay clear of deleting versions or backups whether within ATI or in Windows.

With regards to the autocleanup options, there are typically 3 problems that users have:
- first, you have to be on the backup scheme tab when you click OK to close the backup options windows, otherwise the autocleanup settings to not stick,
- second, the only setting that I find reliable is to keep a certain number of version chains (the second option). This is the one that you use, it should work.
- third, many users expect ATI to first delete older backups, then do a new one. It is not the way it works. ATI will alway do first a new full backup, before deleting older backups. So, users end up running out of space, or backups fail.

The way it works in the Acronis Secure Zone is different, so the above applies to the case when using a backup partition or disk.

Could you post a screen shot of your backup list?

Pat,

I agree the database doesn't directly affect the restore function. However if the database is corrupt it suggests that the tracking information is incorrect and therefore ATI is unable to track the tib and therefore restore it. It can't restore something it can't track! But that's beside the point because I have never had any problems at all in tracking my tib files or restoring anything, ever. I'm also using the simplest option you could find, every backup goes to the same external USB HDD, nothing is split and they are all Full backups.

It would be nice to stay clear of deleting files at all but I don't have an infinite amount of space for backups. If ATI did its job and cleaned up for me I wouldn't need to delete the files and I wouldn't be posting on this forum.

With regards to the 3 problems users usually have.
- I have already posted a shot of the backup settings proving that I was already aware of this bug and am capable of creating settings correctly. Although I must say that as this bug is well known it should have been sorted out by now.
- I have only ever used option 2 for cleaning my backups and it has NEVER worked. This is not a case of it did then I deleted something and it didn't.
- I have already stated that I am aware of how the backups are created and my options reflect that, please see post from the 23 Apr 11

Posting a shot of my backup list isn't going to help, I have already posted the settings and like them there is nothing amiss on the backup list. They are all there, It tells me they have all successfully completed and when. Opening any of them shows me all the versions that physically exist. If you go into edit settings on any of them and look at the first screen it tells you what's backing up, where and when, all correct. The Backup Scheme entry tells me that its a custom scheme based on the Full backup method with Auto-cleanup. This has always been the case and at the risk of repeating myself, has never cleaned up the old versions.

I'm starting to feel like we are going around in circles with the database idea particularly as the assumption is that its corrupted due to deleting old tib's, which isn't the case. My current wondering is an issue with the original install. So yesterday after copying existing tib files to a new location I deleted all the schedules, removed ATI completely checked the registry and reinstalled with the latest build. I have then recreated my schedules from scratch and run a backup of each. I now have a clean install with new schedules and an uncorrupted database. Nothing will be deleted until it has completed the third backup to avoid possibly corrupting the database. Once its completed the third backup it should delete the first unless the problem lies elsewhere. The schedules run at the end of each week so I will know in a couple of weeks if this has worked or not and will let you know.

Mike,

There is also the possibility that the actual TIS script file has a problem, as the database writes the next state to run to the script.

Export the task file(s) and then open with a text program (they're really XML files) and look to see if the number of entries seem correct.

Something has just occured to me, check the settings for the task, concerning free space, if it has set itself to a stupid amount, it may not be consolidating or cleaning up, because it thinks you've run low on disk space. I recall someone else discovered that TIH had decided that anything less than free space of 2TB was low on disk space. Everything worked again after a more sensible figure was entered.

Thanks Colin

I've exported the cfg files and I have to say what I got was not what I was expecting. I was expecting to see a file(s) that listed the tasks I have and their settings but instead I got 7 files, 1 each for backing up files, images and mail. 1 each for restoring the same and a scheduling file. None of them mention what is being backed up and to where.

I currently have 8 tasks for either partition images or individual folders. Of these 4 (2 partition & 2 Folder) are set on a schedule with auto-cleanup. The rest are on a single version chain with no schedule. Because I have just reinstalled the software there is currently only 1 .tib backup file for each task.

Looking at the backupfile.cfg & backupimage.cfg files under Threshold the free space size is 0. I can't find a cleanup option but under Consolidation method there is information on chains and the limit is 0, which doesn't seem right. I'm also concerned that the Validation option is set to zero even though it should validate on creation and did yesterday (Checked in the log).

I've attached the 2 files mentioned above and the schedule.cfg file. Please could you advise?

Thanks

When I go to "Extras and Tools" - "Export Backup Settings" I get a .zip file containing a scheduling.cfg (among other *.cfg files with no special content, more or less). This scheduling.cfg contains something unreadable:

[code]<Script>                0014&amp;fJuWD4!4v^JJWDkW6hH6y@F9U3o66ED72nDLq7Kb73h53V298FJWD*PA@n6I52OuF4gFE1A5352355^H6SFUY3N@HY65#3D4!6uB5MYJh$SKU0^bDuC6m#S!o24#AI4Day3@57Q00DnF1rG2626h6gW6noAnfKL%FooSru1nO7*H7qs3HBFaf28S6#NJE^F%sF*pKJMKB22u%1mJF@&amp;34jA&amp;t4bbJ3Y5$QFwoJ*#S2r14uHHrDqJ07Y[/code]

Can you explain in detail, where to find these backup skripts?

Regards,

W.

@Mike,

I'll set up a task on my system for 2011 (Daily I use ABR which has a different format again) and compare the results. Is validation set up per task or globally?

I was expecting a <consolidate_backup> or <cleanup> entry, but I could be wrong here. Would I be correct in assuming form the day mask that your tasks don't run daily?

@Wolfgang

That jumble of letters is I believe details of the database entry and corresponding task in encrypted form. For the Home versions of TI this is normal.

@Colin B: Thanks for your advice. Is this not "Acronis True Image Home Forum"? Which version are you talking about? I think I overread it?

Wolfgang,

Sorry didn't mean to confuse.

This is the True Image forum, just in case people using ABR10 were reading the post, I was just pointing out that their script files will look slightly different.

Colin

Thanks. I too am more used to sorting problems with ABR9 & 10

The files that were exported look to me like default config files. If that's the case I haven't altered the default settings. I tried to on an older build and found they didn't take so never bothered again, I always check settings anyway so it doesn't save any time. So the Validate is not set on the default its done per task.

I don't run a daily task. I have 4 that run on a weekly schedule and 4 that run Ad hoc.

I had a look around after my last post and found some options files in C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\ArchiveOptions These are XML files and hold the information I was expecting to see in the exported files. There is a cleanup option in those and it appears to be set correctly. What do you think?

Just to let you know, the problems with the automatic cleanup still have not been sorted up (it's 7 years later, ATI 2018).
If one creates a new task and sets proper rules, it works for some time, but after several or dozen chains it stop to clean. I think this whole concept with a database which easily gets corrupt is the root of the problems.

I'd like to add a hint how to enable the automatic cleanup again:

Just simple editing this XML file and removing old entries is enough.

Roman.Habrat wrote:

I'd like to add a hint how to enable the automatic cleanup again:

Just simple editing this XML file and removing old entries is enough.

Hello Roman, thank you for sharing your experience, we also have the following article https://kb.acronis.com/content/60915  Did you re-create the database file the same way or what XML did you mean? 

@Ekaterina
One hour earlier I explained this here:
https://forum.acronis.com/comment/484237#comment-484237

It is a quick and dirty method, but at least it worked on both computers where I had to utilize it.

I am dealing with the same issue.    For years now I am stuck having to manually delete.  If I am not in the office the backups stop as the network backup drive is full.

I am also running Windows 7.

This is so painful that all my new installs are using another brand.   I was a multiple license purchaser and I am so disappointed that I cannot begin to express in words.    I have uninstalled rebooted and reinstalled ..I have tried almost everything under the sun but the results are the same.   An extreme disappointment.  

Chris, welcome to these public User Forums.

Automatic cleanup

There can be lots of confusion around the topic of automatic cleanup which can be better understood if some basic concepts are known!

First:  automatic cleanup only works on complete(d) versions / version chains.  Do not expect individual elements of version chains to be cleaned up, such as incremental or differential files!

Second: automatic cleanup only runs after a new Full backup for the next version / version chain has been created successfully.  This means that there must be sufficient free space available on the storage drive / location to hold a new Full backup image file!

Third: counting of days does not start until after a new Full backup file has been created when using the option to ‘Delete versions / version chains older than X days.’  It does not start for the active backup version / version chain before that point!

Fourth: the simplest & easiest automatic cleanup option to use & understand is to ‘Store no more than X recent versions / version chains.’  The criteria here means that if you set X = 2, then when the X+1 (3rd) version / version chain is created successfully with a new Full backup file, then the oldest version / version chain will be deleted by automatic cleanup.

Example:

Incremental backup task, using Full plus 5 Incremental backups before next new Full backup.

Task scheduled to run daily with automatic cleanup set to ‘Store no more than 2 version chains.’

Day 1 – Full backup created.

Days 2 – 6 Incremental backups created.

Day 7 – Next new Full backup created. 

Days 8 – 12 Incremental backups created.

Day 13 – Next new Full backup created.  Automatic cleanup deletes files created on days 1 – 6.

If the same task used ‘Delete version chains older than 7 days’, then those 7 days wouldn’t start counting until day 7 for the first set of files (version chain 1) and not until day 13 for the second set etc.  So automatic cleanup wouldn’t delete the oldest chain until day 14 in the above example.